This invention relates to the imprinting on or marking of moving surfaces of material such as packaging webs, by apparatus of the type disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,797,390 and 3,804,016.
The foregoing type of imprinting apparatus involves displacement of a printing head independently of an ink storing cartridge between a horizontal ink-receiving position engaging an ink pad in the forward end of the ink storing cartridge and a vertical marking position engaging a horizontal marking surface. A fluid power operating device is utilized to effect such displacement of the printing head through a mechanism that reorientates the printing head for proper contact with the ink pad in the cartridge and the marking surfaces at opposite ends of a stroke along a direction-changing path of travel. The cylinder of the fluid power operating device is fixedly mounted on the apparatus frame alongside of the cartridge and travel of the printing head is controlled by guide slots in side plates between which the printing head is carried by a holder mounting a pivot shaft supporting guide rollers engaged within the guide slots.
The foregoing arrangement is such as to limit the speed of the marking operation and to impose minimal size limitations on the construction of the apparatus.
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide an improved imprinting apparatus of reduced size and weight and having a faster operational capability.